Abrasive article



J. F. A. DAVIS July 4, 1939.

ABRAS IVE ART I CLE Filed May 12, 1958 INVENTOR M 4. 4- #OM BY Z- L. A! ATTORN Y Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates to an abrasive article of the type known in the trade as a whip sander where a mass of limp abrasive elements are secured to a central hub to form an abrasive wheel and operate upon the object with a whipping action as the wheel is rapidly rotated, The whip sander is especially useful in the abrading, sanding, or polishing of irregular surfaces whether of wood, metal, or other material.

The object of the invention is to provide an article of the above type in which the abrasive elements and parts co-operating therewith may be easily and quickly combined into the objective wheel form and the abrasive elements be securely fixed, for it is necessary in a device of this kind, subject as it is to high speed of rotation, that the abrasive elements hold securely in place until worn out.

A further object of the invention is to make the abrasive article or sander sectional in character, made up of separate units, so that the article may be made of any desired width of working face, and any unit thereof may be removed and replaced by a new unit if occasion requires.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of an abrasive article, or sander, embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion thereof in enlarged detail, a part being shown broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of certain elements used in the formation of the abrasive article, or sander, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing: l represents the abrasive article or sander, comprising a lamination of individual units 2. These units, annular in form as is the complete article, are arranged upon an axial shaft 3. The units are held bound together and fixed to rotate with the shaft by annular flanges 4, 4, between which the units are interposed, Of these flanges the flange 4 is borne by a hub 5 adjustable on the shaft and held in any adjusted position, depending upon the number of units, by a binding screw 6 in the hub. The flange 4' is backed by a nut I threaded on the shaft. On tightening this nut the various units will become compressed, bound together by and between the respective flanges and thereby fixed to rotate with the shaft.

Each of the separate units includes abrasive whip forming elements and other parts which co- "operate therewith to form the complete unit and hold the whip elements in place. 8 represents one of the whip elements. This element consists in a strip of abrasive material, or cloth, preferably sanded only on one side, Any type of abrasive material may be employed to form the abrasive 5 element provided it be of suflicient strength to withstand the whipping operation. Any type of abrasive maybe used on the element provided it be of proper character to do the work required of it. The abrasive elements are preferably all of 10 the same length and width, and are all provided with a cut hole 9 adjacent the inner end In thereof but removed therefrom.

it represents a metal ring on which the elements 8 are strung by passage through the holes 9 in the elements. This ring is an openable ring, and is preferably made in separate semi-circular halves l2 and I3 with a common hinge connection 14 at one end. At their opposite free ends the separate halves of the ring are each incised to form jaws l 5. These jaws on the separate halves of the ring are oppositely arranged so that when the jaws are brought into engagement with one another they will co-operate to hold the ring closed and prevent its opening except by displacement of one or both halves of the ring. The form and arrangement of the jaws is as shown prefer-' ably such that the jaws will be brought into coactive engagement with one another by displacement of one or both halves of the ring in a lateral direction. After the jaws have been brought into engagement with one another the ring cannot be opened without disrupting the jaws as long as the ring is held bound against such displacement of its parts as would affect an opening of its jaws.

When the ring is open thewhip elements may readily be strung upon the ring, and they are strung in snug engagement with one another so as to completely fill the ring, preferably as many elements being strung upon the ring as possible. After the stringing of the elements the ring is closed by bringing together its jaw carrying ends.

Thus arranged upon the ring the whip elements 8 assume the form of an annular brush with the ring and parts 8 of the whip elements immediately adjacent the ring forming an annular hub from which the flexible bodies of the whip radially and limply extend. The inner ends l0 of the whip elements co -operate to form the interior bearing surface for this hub co-axial with the ring, but inwardly removed from it. This inside bearing surface of the hub is of substantially the same diameter as the shaft 3 which extends through it when the units are assembled to form the complete abrasive article so that the units will fit snugly on the shaft and have no permitted displacement therefrom in a radial direction. It is preferred, however, as shown, that the inside bearing surface of the hub have a bushing or lining IS, the inside bushed surface of the hub then having substantially the same diameter as the shaft 3 on which the unit is arranged. The bushing l6 may be of any suitable material. In practice it is made of strong paper rolled into laminations from a single sheet.

With the various elements thus combined to form each unit, the abrasive article, or sander, may then be formed by placing a plurality of the units upon the shaft 3 interposed between the flanges 4 and 4. On tightening the nut I on the shaft the hubs of the various units will become bound together in which connection it will be observed that the diametrical size of the flanges 4 and 4 is substantially that of the hubs of the respective units. The binding together of the hubs will prevent opening of the rings H which are the active elements in holding the whip elements in place for the rings cannot open unless some displacement is afforded them which would effect an opening of their jaws, and this is prevented by the binding together of the hubs. This action is improved if annular discs l8 of about the same diametrical size as the hubs of the various units be interposed between them.

While the construction thus far described might be effective under ordinary conditions and the whipping elements or sander, hold securely in place, yet there is a possibility of disruption, and it is to prevent such possibility that the ring II and portions 8' of the whip elements forming the hub of each unit, the interior bushing l6 therefor, and also the annular discs l8 are all bound together and this by a setting of strong glue of any suitable type. A good grade of animal glue is preferably employed. In obtaining this setting of glue the inner ends of the whip elements which assist in forming the hub of the unit are preferably glue coated before stringing upon the ring. The bushing Hi can then become easily glued to the inside bearing surface of the glued hub as well as the annular discs l8 which flank the sides of the hub. With a glued hub these discs may be made of a stiff paper, but preferably of a good grade of strong cloth. After the glue has set the separate parts of the ring set in the hub cannotbe displaced to effect an unlocking of their jaws l5, without tearing the hub to pieces, or dissolving the glue, and as long as the hub remains intact no displacement of the ring or jaws thereof can take place and the whip elements will accordingly be held securely in place.

I claim:

l. An abrasive article of the type specified comprising a plurality of annular units united to form a laminated wheel, each of said units including a plurality of strips of abrasive material annularly arranged and a metal ring upon which said strip-s are strung and with which the inner ends of said strips co-operate to form a hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the working surfaces thereof radially and limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, and means for binding together the hubs of said units whereby said jaws will be held in engagement with one another.

2. An abrasive article comprising a plurality of strips of abrasive material and a metal ring upon which said strips are strung and with which the inner ends of said strips co -operate to form a hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the working surfaces thereof radially and limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, and means whereby the jaws of said ring will be maintained in engagement with one another within said hub for holding the ring closed.

3. An abrasive article comprising a. plurality of strips of abrasive material and a metal ring upon which said strips are strung and with which the inner ends of said strips co-operate to form a hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the Working surfaces thereof radially and limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, and a setting of glue in which said hub and ring are embedded.

An abrasive article comprising a plurality of strips of abrasive material and a metal ring upon which said strips are strung and with which the inner ends of said strips co-operate to form a hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the working surfaces thereof radially and limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, discs facing the sides of said hub, and a setting of glue in which said hub and ring are embedded and said discs affixed to the sides of said hub.

5. An abrasive article comprising a plurality of strips of abrasive material and a metal ring upon which said strips are strung and with which the ends of said strips co-operate to form a hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the working surfaces thereof limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, and means whereby the jaws of said ring will be maintained in engagement with one another within said hub for holding the ring closed.

6. An abrasive article comprising a plurality of strips of abrasive material and a metal ring upon which said strips are strung and with which the ends of said strips co-operate to form a. hub from which the body portions of said strips constituting the working surfaces thereof limply extend, said ring being an openable ring having opposing jaws by the engagement of which with one another the ring is held closed, or opened by disengagement of said jaws, and a setting of glue in which said hub and ring are embedded.

JOHN F. A. DAVIS. 

